Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-17

amazement
"Almightyl" he said, at is impossible A
pass-who ever heard of such thingl Come,
l must be going"
at is not impossible, Uncle Coetzee, as you
know" said Jess "Lsten If / get that
pass l will speak to my uncle about the $500.
Perhaps he would not want it all back again !"
"Ah" said the Boer. "Well, we are old
friends, missile, and never desert a friend,
that is my saying. Almighty l will ride a
hundred mies-I will swim through blood for
a friend. Well, WE'LL l will see. 1t will de-
pend u,on that devil of man, Frank Muller
Where are you to be foSld-in the white
house yonderi Good Tomorrow the escort
will come in with the prisoners, and If l can
get it they will bring the pass But missile,
remember the $500 If you do not speak to
your uncle about that l shall be even with
him. Almighty! what thing it is to have a
good heart and to love to help your friendsl
Well, good day, good day." and off he can
tered on his fat pony, his broad face shining
with look of unuttcrable benevolence.
jess cast look of contempt after him and
then went on toward the camp to fetch the
rations.
When she got back to "The Palatial" she
told John what had taken place, and sug-
gcsted that it would be as WELL in case there
should he a favorable reply to her request, to
have everything prepared for a start, and &C.
cortiugly the cart was brought down and stood
outside THE Paatial," and John unscrewe-l
the patent caps and filled them with castor
oil, and ordered Mouti to keep the horses
which were all well, though poor" from want
of proper food, well within hail
Meanwhile, old Hans pursued the jerky
tenor Of his way for an hour or SO, till he
came in sight of small red house.
Presently, from the shadow in front of The
red house emerged horseman, mounted on
powerful black horse. The horseman-a
stern, handsome, bearded man-put his hand
about his eyes to shade them from the sun
and gazed up the road Then he seemed tc
suddenly strike his spurs into the horse, fol
the animal gave a sudden bound forward anC
came sweeping towards Hans at hanc
gallop.
"Ah it is that devil of a man, Frank Mul
ler!" calculated Hans. "Now | wonder wha
he wantss | always feel cold down che bacl
when he comes near me-"
By this time the plunging black horse wa.
being refined up alongside of his pony Sc
sharply that it reared till its great hoofs were
paving the air within few inches of Hans
head
"Almighty!"s said the old man, Juggling hi
pony round. BE careful, nephew, be care
full! l do not wish to be crushed like
BEETLE
Frank Muller-for it was he-smiled H,
bad made his horse rear purposely, in order
70 brighten the old man, whom he knew to be
an arrant coward.
| o,,I hot
have you done with the Englishmenl You
should have been back half an hour ago"
"And so 1 should, nephew, and so l should
If I had not been detained Surely you dc
not suppose that would linger in the &C
cursed places BAH" and he spat upon the
ground, ut stinks of Englishmen. cannot
get the taste of them out of my mouth"
"Your are liar, Uncle Coetzee," was the
cool answer. English with the English, Boei
with the Boer. You blow neither hot nol
cold Be careful lest we show you up
know you and your talk. Do you remember
what you were saying to the Englishmar
Mel in the inn yard at Wakkerstroom wher
you turned and saw mel l heard, and l dc
not forget. You know what happens to
land betrayerr"
Hans teeth positively chattercd and hi
florid face blanched with fear
"What do you mean, nephew he asked.
"I-ah!-I mean nothing. | was only
speaking n word Of warming to you as
friend. have heard things said about yo,
by'-and he dropped his voice and Whispered
a name at the sound of which poor Ham
turned whittier than ever
"Well,n went on his tormentor, when Ii,
had sufficiently enjoyed his terror, "wha
sort of terms did you make in Pictorial"
"Oh. good nephew, good" he gabbled, de
lighted to get on a fresh subject ~ founC
the Englishmen supple as a tanned skin
They will give up their twelve prisoners fo
our four. The men are to be in by 10 to-mor
row. | told their commandant about Laing'
Mex and IngoGo, and he would not believ,
me. He thought lied like himself. They
are getting hungry there now l saw
Hottentot knew there, and he told me thai
their bones were beginning to show"
"They will be through the skin before long,
muttered Frank. "Well, here we are at th,
house. The general is there. He has JUS
come up from Heidelberg, and you can make
your report to him. Did you find out abou
the Englshman-Capt Niell Is it true thai
he is deadf'
"No, he is not dead By the way, me-
ON Croft's niece-the dark one She is shu
up there with the captain, and she begged m,
to try and get them pass to go home. o.
course told her that it was nonsense, ano
that they must stop and starve with thu
others"
Muller, who had been listening to this las
piece Of information with intense interest
suddenly checked his horse and answered:
"Did you? Then you are a bigger fool thar
| thought you. Who gave you authority t.
decide whether they should have a pass OF
mott"